Founders · Leg 6

Bari to Thessaloniki

Wednesday 15th–Sunday 19th September 2027

What is Ride25?

Ride25 is a mission to cycle from London to Sydney over 25 legs spanning 25 years. The adventure began in 2012 with a group called “The Pioneers”, who have now cycled over 8,000 km from the UK to Tijara in India. Pioneers help to define the journey and adventure to Sydney.

Who are the Founders?

The Founders are a newer group following in the steps of the Pioneers. They rode London to Paris in 2022, Paris to Geneva in 2023, Geneva to Milan in 2024, Milan to Rome in 2025 and Rome to Bari in October 2026. Leg 6 takes the Founders out of Italy for the first time: across the Adriatic to Albania and on through northern Greece to Thessaloniki.

A new route

The Pioneers rode Bari to Thessaloniki over four days in 2017, taking the ferry straight to Greece. The Founders go via Albania and add a day: day 2 along the Albanian Riviera is completely new, and we join the Pioneers' original route half way through day 3.

Who rides?

The ride is open to founders and leaders of fast-growth businesses and is supported by our sponsors. Ride25 is a proud member of Helm, London's most established entrepreneurship club for scale-up founders.

Start

Morning of Wednesday 15th September 2027. The seafront, Bari.

Finish

Afternoon of Sunday 19th September 2027. The seafront, Thessaloniki.

The trulli houses of Alberobello, Puglia — day 1

The Albanian Riviera below the Llogara Pass — day 2

Estate Kalaitzis near Vergina, where we lunch on day 5

Thessaloniki's seafront and the White Tower — the finish

The leg at a glance

Three countries in five days: Italy, Albania and Greece
Included in the price: your hotel and dinner in Bari the night before we start, and 5 new personalised Ride25 cycling shirts
The iconic trulli houses of Alberobello and the olive groves of Puglia
Dinner on the waterfront in Brindisi before an overnight ferry across the Adriatic
The Llogara Pass and the wild, turquoise Albanian Riviera through Himarë to Sarandë
Crossing into Greece and lunch by the lake at Ioannina
The climb to the quirky mountain town of Metsovo, with wild dogs and the odd bear
Quiet roads across the empty mountains of northern Greece
Lake Polyfytos with views of Mount Olympus, and lunch at the Estate Kalaitzis vineyard near Vergina
A celebration in the party city of Thessaloniki on the seafront
Inspiring conversations with like minded founders and endless camaraderie

The film

This film is from the Founders' Milan to Rome leg — a taste of what a Ride25 leg feels like on the road.

Day by day

01
Wednesday 15th September — Bari to Brindisi
150 km · 1,057 m up · 1,064 m down
Our Grand Depart is from the seafront in Bari. We follow the coast for the first few kilometres before a gentle climb inland into the heart of Puglia — a perfect warm-up day with no serious climbs and exceptionally quiet roads from the outskirts of Bari to the outskirts of Brindisi. Morning coffee is at Portanova in Turi, then we ride through trulli country to lunch at Masseria Madonna dell’Arco, a 17th-century farm near Martina Franca.
The afternoon rolls through hilltop towns and olive groves with far-reaching views of the Adriatic, with an ice cream stop at Caffetteria Centrale in Carovigno, then drop back to the coast for the last stretch into Brindisi. We have dinner at Cafe Betty on the waterfront before a short ride to the port to board the overnight ferry to Albania.
Overnight: Overnight ferry, Brindisi to Vlorë
Day 1 Strava Route →Day 1 digital “cloth” map →Download Draft Day 1 GPX
02
Thursday 16th September — Vlorë to Sarandë
126 km · 2,595 m up · 2,568 m down
A brand new day for Ride25. We roll off the overnight ferry in Vlorë for breakfast at a hotel on the seafront, then head south along the bay before the big climb of the day: the Llogara Pass, rising to over 1,000 m through pine forest in the national park. Morning coffee is at the top, with the Ionian Sea spread out below.
Then comes what is probably the best descent of all 15 legs: over 1,000 m down to the sea on good tarmac, with almost no traffic and sea views all the way. We have lunch on the beach at Himarë, then roll up and down the Riviera past turquoise bays and small fishing villages to finish in the lively seaside town of Sarandë, looking across the water to Corfu.
Overnight: Bougainville Bay Resort & Spa, Sarandë
Day 2 Strava Route →Day 2 digital “cloth” map →Download Draft Day 2 GPX
03
Friday 17th September — Sarandë to Metsovo
155 km · 2,916 m up · 1,798 m down
The Queen stage. We climb out of Sarandë and head inland through the mountains of southern Albania before crossing the border into Greece, with a water stop at the border (have your passport handy). Morning coffee is in the Epirus hills, and half way through the day we join the Pioneers' original day 2 route.
Lunch is at Ntrampatoba by the lake close to Ioannina, the only town of the day, then a final water stop before the long climb to the quirky mountain town and winter sports resort of Metsovo at over 1,100 m. This is the biggest climbing day of the leg and the one to train for. Expect undecipherable road signs, wild dogs and possibly bears — all part of the cultural adventure that is Ride25.
Overnight: Aroma Dryos Spa & Eco Hotel and Hotel Apollon, Metsovo
Day 3 Strava Route →Day 3 digital “cloth” map →Download Draft Day 3 GPX
04
Saturday 18th September — Metsovo to Kozani
121 km · 1,684 m up · 2,128 m down
We leave Metsovo and climb to the highest point of the leg, over 1,500 m, before a day of long descents and rolling roads across the mountains of northern Greece, with a water stop at the La Moara Hotel on the way down. Once again there is very little traffic and very few people — scenery that feels more like a Scottish loch than the Mediterranean.
Lunch is in a local taverna in the town of Grevena, renowned for its mushrooms, then one more water stop before the run in. We finish with a beer stop as we reach Kozani. Home for the night is the lively regional town of Kozani, where we finish in the main square with a great selection of bars.
Overnight: Aliakmon Hotel, Kozani
Day 4 Strava Route →Day 4 digital “cloth” map →Download Draft Day 4 GPX
05
Sunday 19th September — Kozani to Thessaloniki
170 km · 1,509 m up · 2,210 m down
We enjoy the fruits of the climbing with long sweeping downhills. After leaving Kozani we ride around Lake Polyfytos on a traffic free road with views of Mount Olympus in the distance, before the last climb of the trip. The morning is wild and empty, with a water stop after the climb.
Lunch is late in the day, at about 88 km, once all the climbing is done, at Estate Kalaitzis, a vineyard near Vergina, birthplace of Alexander the Great, with far-reaching views over the Imathia valley. After one more water stop, the run in to Thessaloniki is flat, with the final kilometres right along the sea. Thessaloniki is a party city that runs along the seafront, the perfect place for our celebration dinner.
Overnight: Makedonia Palace, Thessaloniki
Day 5 Strava Route →Day 5 digital “cloth” map →Download Draft Day 5 GPX

The maps

The full route for Leg 6

Bari to Thessaloniki via Albania, day by day.

The journey so far

London to Sydney, leg by leg. The orange line is the road we have already ridden; the dotted line is still to come.

Where we stay

The quality of our hotels depends on what is available along the route. We aim to stay in 4-star hotels where possible, but sometimes the hotels are more basic.

On the overnight ferry from Brindisi to Vlorë everyone shares a cabin — we are only able to book two- and four-person cabins, so single rooms are not available that night, even if you pay the single supplement.

In Metsovo we are split across two hotels, with dinner together.

Mövenpick Hotel Bari — 4*, the night before we start
Pre-start
Hotel website
Overnight ferry, Brindisi to Vlorë — shared twin and four-berth cabins only (no single cabins)
Night 1
Bougainville Bay Resort & Spa, Sarandë — 4* beachfront resort with Gaudí-inspired architecture, sea-water pools and spa
Night 2
Hotel website
Aroma Dryos Spa & Eco Hotel, Metsovo — boutique hotel in the village centre
Night 3
Hotel website
Hotel Apollon, Metsovo — traditional stone and wood hotel in the village centre
Night 3
Hotel website
Aliakmon Hotel, Kozani — in the heart of the city centre
Night 4
Hotel website
Makedonia Palace, Thessaloniki — 5* landmark hotel on the waterfront
Night 5
Hotel website

What's included

Your hotel in Bari the night before we start (Mövenpick, 4*) and the pre-start dinner in Bari, both included in the price
5 new personalised Ride25 cycling shirts, one for every day, including the badges achieved
Accommodation each night of the ride, including the overnight ferry to Albania, in twin rooms with an allocated room partner unless you specify who you would like to share with
Breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day, plus the celebration dinner in Thessaloniki
Tea, coffee, cake and ice cream stops
Drinks with all meals including soft drinks, wine and beer
Manned support vehicles with bike mechanics and first aid
Water, fruit and emergency supplies in the vehicles
Transport of your bags each day to the finish
Transport of bike boxes from Bari to Thessaloniki
GPS files of the routes and maps

Not included

Travel to the start in Bari — find flights on Skyscanner
Travel from Thessaloniki back home — find flights on Skyscanner
Personal travel insurance — make sure cycle touring is included in your policy, particularly on an annual policy. Details of your policy are required before travel — Yellow Jersey is a well-established cycling insurer.
Your bike
Your bike box
Optional extra: single room

The cost

£2,800 per person sharing a twin room, plus a £650 single supplement if you would like your own room (limited availability). Everyone shares a cabin on the overnight ferry, whichever option you choose.
As with all Ride25 trips this is not-for-profit: the price covers the direct costs of running the trip, and anything above that is donated to charity — circa £1,200 of every ticket.
£300 deposit due on booking, with the balance (£2,500 sharing a twin room, or £3,150 with the single supplement) due in May 2027.
Any payments made are donated to 1moreChild if you cancel for any reason.

Bikes: All tarmac. Road or gravel bikes recommended; no time trial bikes.

Don't book your flights yet

Book your place on the leg now, but please do NOT book your flights until we confirm. The ferry company has not yet confirmed its schedule, which is likely to be at the end of 2026, and it may change the sailing times. We will email you as soon as it is confirmed, so wait until then to book.

Practicalities

More questions? Read our FAQs for more answers.

Versus Leg 5: One day longer than Leg 5: 722 km over five days, an average of about 145 km and nearly 2,000 m of climbing a day. Day 3, Sarandë to Metsovo, is where to focus your training — around 3,000 m of climbing. The peak elevation is just over 1,500 m on day 4.
Passports and borders: We cross from Italy to Albania by ferry and from Albania into Greece by bike, so bring your passport and carry it with you on day 3. UK passport holders do not currently need a visa for Albania.
How will I navigate?: The route is not signposted, so download each day's route and use a GPS bike computer (Garmin, Wahoo or equivalent) or an app such as Strava or RideWithGPS on your phone with a mount and a battery pack.
Support: You can call the support team for a lift at any point. The support vehicles carry first aid, plus a sweeper system for anyone too far behind to finish before sunset. The trip is in no way a race.
Flights and bike boxes: Please do not book flights until we confirm the ferry schedule (likely at the end of 2026). You arrange your own travel to Bari and home from Thessaloniki with your bike. Be in Bari by Tuesday 14th September for the pre-start dinner, and leave Thessaloniki on or after Monday 20th September.
What else do I need to do beforehand?: Bike service — book one before you travel. You may need to book a few weeks in advance, but it will seriously reduce the chance of issues on the ride.
Bike fit — if you haven't already, it is worth getting your bike fitted properly by a professional. It will help prevent injury.
Wheels — make sure you have sturdy wheels and hard-wearing tyres for the Albanian and Greek mountain roads.
Pack inner tubes and even a spare tyre that fits your bike.
Passport — check it is valid; you need it for the ferry and the Albania–Greece border on day 3.
eSIM — if your roaming doesn't cover Albania (it is outside the EU, so many UK and EU plans charge extra).
Apply for your free UK GHIC card for Italy and Greece.
Buy and pack an Apple AirTag or Android tracker for your bike box — very useful if there are issues with bike boxes.
What else do I need to bring?: A high-quality rear bike light for safety, and a front light for early mornings and tunnels.
Hydration tablets such as Precision Fuel & Hydration — critical for multi-day long distances, particularly if it is hot.
Two large water bottles for hydration drinks and water — there are long mountain stretches in Albania and northern Greece with few places to refill.
Helmet.
A large saddle bag with two spare inner tubes, a puncture repair kit and tyre levers.
An e-cycle pump — better for travel than canisters.
Sun cream.
Swimmers — for the sea and rooftop pool in Sarandë.
A portable battery charger, including for the overnight ferry.

Riding, raising and inviting

Can I invite others?: The power of the ride is the quality of the group, so we would love you to bring like minded founders. Please think about who in your network would make a great addition, particularly if they sponsor.
Corporate sponsorship: Put your company's logo on every rider's jersey, bring guests who fit the profile and stay in the best hotel on each stop, with 100% of sponsorship going to charity. Or send a company team to ride Leg 6 together. Find out about corporate sponsorship.
What are we raising money for?: Circa £1,200 of every ticket goes to charity. If you are new to Ride25, you are also expected to donate, find a sponsor or fundraise. All participants pay their own costs and all money raised goes straight to 1moreChild in the first instance. Once 1moreChild has hit its annual requirement the balance goes to Lyra in Africa. Sponsor a rider. See our fundraising and charities page.